Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Chris Gipple. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Chris, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you take vacations? Why or why not?

This has always been one of the most challenging aspects of being self-employed for me. I never really learned how to relax, and I always seem to feel guilty when I do. However, one of the major pros of my business is that I can work from anywhere in the world. So in order to convince myself to take a vacation, I’ll bring my laptop and tell myself I can work if I absolutely need too. But 9 times out of 10, once I get to my destination, I’ll ease into vacation mode and won’t need to work all that much at all. Its a mental trick that gets me out of my comfort zone.

Chris, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Chris Gipple, most know me as Gipp. I am an illustrator and creative business owner based out of Annapolis, MD. Growing up, I spent most of my time skateboarding, playing music, and drawing. As a teenager, I began to create merch designs, album art, posters, and t-shirts for local bands, and quickly gained a reputation in Annapolis.

After gaining experience as a freelancer for a few years, in 2014, I along with three friends founded a skate & surf-inspired apparel brand known as Infinite Rot Clothing. I started churning out loud, psychedelic graphic tees and was introduced to the craft of screen printing.

In 2017, I founded Nightshift Creative, a creative agency, with close friend, Miles Feldman. Nightshift specializes in the creation and growth of unique, impactful, and long-lasting brand experiences. I currently act as creative director for Nightshift, while also incorporating my illustration work as part of the agencies branding services.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Hands down, it is witnessing the moment that someone experiences my art for the first time. For me, I get to see this most often when vending at events. A lot of my work is focused around creating relatable struggles of other creatives and people out there trying to make a name for themselves. I like to include a bit of comedy and darkness in my pieces. I love the moment someone walks up to my booth and just takes in a poster, maybe calls their friends over to take a look. I get a lot of different reactions ranging from laughing to very deep heart-to-hearts. I just love the idea of making someone think about some a little differently, or maybe providing some comfort for someone going through relatable struggles.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Over the years, I’ve managed to build up a decent following on Instagram. I was fortunate enough to start gaining traction on the platform back when organic reach and engagement was much higher than it is now. But there was a few key things I did that I think really pushed me forward. I created a few pieces around mental health, specifically focused around working as a creative artist. These pieces went viral and were shared by hundreds of thousands of people. I also maintained a level of consistency in my online presence. For me, its important that someone can look at my art and immediately identify it as my artwork. I think its important to master the art of style and consistency. It accomplishes a similar goal to the branding of a company. It builds trust and familiarity with your audience. The tricky part is establishing your style, without becoming so redundant that it becomes stale or boring.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://gipp.store/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_gipp/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/artworkofgipp
• Other: https://nightshiftcreative.co/